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 Principal's Word
The building blocks to a green economy and sustainable
world will require ingenuity from a renovated American spirit. Innovation
brings us new products, working efficiently, utilizing fewer natural resources,
and eventually propelling us to new economic growth. However, the key in this transformation
will require self realization from the American public. As individuals we
need to change our wasteful and irresponsible behaviors, for the greater, and
greener, good. A part of that change will require a different attitude towards
the status quo and adaptation to new processes. If we wish to sustain our
economy we must first sustain our ecosystems, the vary basis of our existence.
As Albert Einstein once said, "problems cannot be
solved at the same level of awareness that created them." We must all
realize our contribution to environmental degradation in order to use this
knowledge as a tool to promote change.
September 22, 2009
Joseph Blanco and De'Aundri Abbott
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Green Building Industry - On a Collision Course with SEO and Social Media?
By: Jim Gibson
It seems in today's age of lightening fast digital communications, few industries are exempt from participating in the one medium that facilitates this collective combustion of information the most - the internet. More and more, people are tuning out traditional conduits to information such as TV, radio and newspapers and, instead, turning to the internet for the news, information and education they need. Hey, I don't have to tell you since you're likely reading this with a cup of coffee in one hand and your mouse in the other.
If this is truly the case, then it stands to reason the one industry that has captured the imagination of young and old, from Wall Street to Washington, is facing a head on collision with the digital revolution. That industry is Green.
Learn more about SEO and Social Media for your organization at gibsem
and hear more about the outstanding group of Southern California Green Building professionals, the San Fernando Valley Green Building Task Force
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Sustainable Products: from Plastic to Plywood
By: Michelle Villagra
RESCUE Green Blog
Picture all the floating plastic the size of Texas located in the middle of the Pacific near Hawaii with an estimated three million tons of debris. This alone answers the question that plastics are a huge problem for our environment and health. Plastics biodegrade very slowly, it could take up to 600 years for a plastic bottle to decompose, therefore, even long after it is thrown away, whether it remains in the landfill or reaches the ocean, plastics look like they are here to stay. What can we do?
"If you can't beat them, join them," we've all heard this adage before, but one company is taking this message one step further in the battle against plastics.2K Manufacturing located in Luton, England, is taking on the challenge of turning our plastic trash into plywood, or Ecosheet. Their project is backed by Bovis a construction company who has tested the material.
It might sound impossible given the mixed plastic waste found in landfills, however 2K has developed a technique that is proving to produce great results.Using a powder-impression molding technique machines grind the plastics into powder then lay the powder over a polymer skin (and covering it with another skin) followed by sintering. Sintering is the process that turns the powder into the desired object by heating the materials until the particles adhere to each other ( Economist).
2K Manufacturing projects that they will be able to make 360,000 sheets this year and plan to increase production next year. This scheme would help reduce the amount of plastics in landfills and our oceans. While we can't completely "clean-up" the mess we've already created, by diverting the route from landfills to factory the amount of new plastics entering the environment can decrease.
There is an entire world of investments in the green sector. Someone's trash is another's treasure and 2K Manufacturing has struck gold. For more on this topic and others visit the RESCUE Green Blog
We encourage any feedback, feel free to comment!Top of page
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Sustainable Products:  Energy Star Rated - Makes Water from the Air!
Cold water only, so it's Energy Star rated. Makes water by collecting humidity from the air making it into the sweetest, purest water you have ever tasted. Uses 2 UV lights and multi-stage filtration also removes toxins from the air with 1 micron HEPA filter.
Ultra 8C - H Home / Office Water precipitation generator makes 40 liters / 10 gallons per day, 99.3% pure water, 16 liter reservoir. Makes water in as low as 35% Rh / 59 degrees F.
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Water Filtration Project: providing clean water in a sustainable fashion
You will not read much about it in the news but there has been an outbreak of cholera in Iraq. 2000 people have been infected, 5 have died and more are coming down with symptoms daily. The Ministry of Water Resources has contracted with Iraq Global to provide water purification systems that can be deployed in off-grid areas and provide potable water for rural populations. Iraq Global under the leadership of Dr. Labib Sultan has contracted with Saad Nahdir, head of SPX Tracker and Mark Snyder Electric of Poway, CA to provide 325 mobile water purification systems to aid the disease stricken regions of Iraq.
Mark Snyder, an internationally recognized solar energy expert and innovator, has designed a remarkable system that uses 100% solar energy to bring water under pressure from its local source to the filtration unit, process it at a minimum rate of 1000 liters of water per hour of sunlight, a volume that can serve the needs of a village of 500 families. Once these units are in-country, they can be deployed within a day's notice either by truck or by rail and be operational within another day or two of set-up time depending on the availability of local skilled technicians.
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Back to School With an EDGE
By: Priya Nembhard
All of the U.S. is finally back to school. How
have you prepared your child to be eco friendly for the year? Here are
some tips from the EDGE on what you can do to keep it green and clean.1. Packing lunch? Use reusable lunch bags,
reusable plastic containers and stainless steel water bottles to carry
your child's food and beverage. Ziploc bags are handy but wasteful. Try
to be thoughtful about how you pack your child's lunch.
2. What is for lunch? If you are packing lunch
what are your food choices? Try to choose items that are healthy, low
in sodium, low in sugar and add a fruit.
3. Parent pick-up? Do you, like many parents that
pick up your child from school keep your car on and wait for your child
inside the car? Did you know that you are polluting the air and
increasing the chances of asthma in your child's school zone? Encourage
your child's school to have a no idling policy. Turn the car off, park
and get out of the car to pick up your child.
4. Are your kids coming home with a lot of
material the teacher has already checked? It's now your job to dispose
of them. Recycle your papers or reuse them for scrap paper and arts and
craft.
5. Live in a hot climate? Put safe sun block on
your child everyday before school. You may think that your child will
not get sunburn but their skin can still get damaged, despite the
pigmentation. We also need to remember that the ozone layer is not as
strong as it uses to be so the sun penetrates the earth more.
6. What type of materials are
your children using? Give them supplies for school made of recycled,
post-consumer or natural materials. Most retail chains have joined the
Green movement by providing these options in your school supply isle.
These materials would include notebooks, pencils, pencil cases, book
bags, etc.
7. Get your school to start an
EDGE Parent Committee. Get other parents involved in Accrediting or
Certifying your school as an EDGE School. Contact the EDGE at
info@TheEDGEEducation.com to find out how.
Play it safe, healthy, and green this year with EDGE
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Daylight Harvesting and Automatic Dimming Controls
By: Audra Badham
You have probably heard of it. Daylight Harvesting is not a new concept; however, in a day and age where so much emphasis is placed on green designs, energy savings, LEED credits, etc., it is a topic that has been attracting more and more attention. And because of this, more interesting products and design options are becoming available to you. You will likely find many of these innovations to not only be a nice compliment to your designs, but potentially useful tools in achieving the intended atmosphere for your project. First, just to make sure we are on the same page, what is daylight harvesting? Simply put, it is making use of daylight in a building and thus reducing the overall electricity consumption. For the full article click hereTop of page
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Wood Plastic Composites are in your Future
By: Jon Dougal
With the proliferation of green building materials hitting the market almost daily it is hard to find a unique story on either the product or the company producing it. JER Envirotech ("JER") is one of those success stories worth telling.
JER is focused on preferable alternatives to the pure wood and plastic products industry. The company is commercializing breakthrough patent-protected echnology in various wood-plastic composites (WPC) markets. And you say "So What?" The importance to this technology and products is that this process is
able to reclaim waste stream wood fiber and several other waste stream materials. Combined with their patented plastic recycling technology to make useable building materials and therefore impact climate change by utilizing the embodied energy resident in the waste stream. Painted and treated wood surfaces are cleaned and the resultant mess is handled through typical waste stream remediation practices.
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Upcoming Events |
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2nd ANNUAL GREEN TRADE NETWORK SUMMIT: SUSTAINABLE CITIES OF 21ST CENTURY
Fri Sept 25, 2009 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM, Santa Cruz, CA
The 2nd annual Green Trade Network Summit will feature panels, presentations and guest appearances from the leaders of break-through products and services in air and water purification, green construction, waste management and renewable energy and how they can be used in our existing infrastructures and for the new Sustainable Cities of the 21st Century.
Event website
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SMALL KITCHENS SMART DESIGN
Sat Sept 26, 2009 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM, Berkley, CA
Homeowners often hesitate to remodel a kitchen that has limited space, but with the right strategy, small kitchens can have a huge impact. We'll show you how to plot your strategy during this productive design seminar. You will learn specific techniques for making your kitchen feel and function bigger, such as borrowing space that isn't being maximized, storing your myriad small appliances, and implementing the best space-saving products. After attending this seminar you will have a better understanding of how smart designs dramatically improve small kitchens.
Event website
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RENEWABLE ENERGY FINANCE FORUM - WEST 2009
Tues Sept 29 - Wed Sept 30 - San Francisco, CA
The conference focuses on finance and investment for clean energy technologies, with a particular emphasis on the Western US, and covers both large scale projects and the development and commercialization of new technologies.
Event website
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FOR MORE GREEN EVENTS VISIT OUR CALENDAR
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Featured Green Product
Totally solar operated LED street and parking lot lights. Installed on your standard or ours. Lower your night lighting & security costs! Dark Sky Compliant!
- Runs even during a power outage
- Generates power independently
- Can operate in remote areas where utility service is difficult or expensive
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Plant of the Month
The Palo Verde "Desert Museum" a pedestrian friendly tree, produces very little litter and few seed pods, requires very little pruning or staking and blooms over a long period of time. This tree grows very rapidly to approximately 20 feet tall in 3 to 5 years, after which it will not need any irrigation. Click Here For More Info |
Take our Sustainability Poll!
In your opinion how could society reach greater sustainability?
Click here to give your answer
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Get Trained: Green Building in 2009
RESCUE Green has invested substantial resources in developing training programs that are relevant, as well as rigorous.
NOW AVAILABLE! Green Building for Real Estate Professionals!
Sign up today for our next class and earn continuing education credits.
Next class: September 24th Space is limited.
If you are interested in up to date Green Building training, email us your information to and receive a list of training classes in your area. |
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Quote of the Month
"Achieving sustainable development is perhaps one of the most difficult and one of the most pressing goals we face. It requires on the part of all of us commitment, action, partnerships and, sometimes, sacrifices of our traditional life patterns and personal interests."
~ Mostafa Tolba
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| RESCUE Green Services |
We offer an array of green services from project managing, comissioning, and charrettes to educational seminars and environmental auditing. Go to GREEN SERVICES on our website to collaborate with RESCUE Green on your next project.
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| Contact Information |
RESCUE Green
(888) 543.9205
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